Failed Strand of Destiny
by NickelS
Summary: Near the end of the series, Folken and Eries react to each other and what would have been. An exploration of these two characters and their choices, but not really a romance. Allen gets a cameo.
1. Who are you, Strategos?

**Failed Strand of Destiny** (Part 1 of 3)

by NickelS  
purple_shad@hotmail.com  
November 2002 

NB: There's a lot of changing perspective in this chapter... try not to get too confused. 

* * *

Eries could not help but watch him from the stairs leading down to the gardens, as the tall, black-clad man stood in the midst of the nursery of herbs. As incongruous as it seemed, Zaibach's Strategos was currently examining a vine leaf in his left hand, his mechanical right arm hidden by an oddly-matched beige cloth that hung over his shoulder. The elder princess of Asturia regarded him critically. She had half a mind to demand what he was doing in the palace gardens, although she had previously been informed that he had amassed plenty of equipment and supplies for his laboratory already. What he could use a simple cough-remedy for was beyond her; the Strategos did not display any signs of ill health.

Even as she watched, he seemed to sigh, then look up at the dull grey sky. The princess could imagine him scanning the endless mass of clouds before he caught sight of her standing partway down the flight of stone steps. He stiffened slightly and held her gaze for a moment before Eries broke eye contact and descended the rest of the stairs towards him.

* * *

"Good morning, Master Strategos."

"What do you want?" It came out a little more callously than I'd meant it to sound. I guess I'm too used to that. She didn't look like it bothered her too much, from what I could see out of the corner of my eye, but she did hesitate.

"Pardon me, but it seems you're quite settled in now. The Asturian council was just enquiring what your plans were and how long you intend to stay in Palas. I thought I would ask you myself on behalf of the council, rather than put you on the spot at the next meeting." She looked genuinely concerned.

I considered for a moment before turning to face her. "That's very considerate of you. Are you afraid of me, Princess?"

"Not at all. The council was just hoping to be more accommodating since—"

"That's not what I meant." And this time, she really looked at me, not beyond me, not through me, as if I was just another one of those stuffy noblemen on her father's council. "Are _you_ afraid of me, Eries?" I lifted my mechanical arm and opened my fingers, palm upward.

* * *

The use of my name without any titles was so direct, much like his question, his gaze; and looking into his red eyes with his monstrous arm lifting towards me, I almost took a step back. But I will not be coerced into appearing weak before him, this intruder. Unfortunately, he didn't give me the chance to respond.

"Perhaps you should be, Princess." He turned around and moved to the next plant. "As for the council, you can assure them that I won't be in their hair for too much longer."

"Why is that?" I couldn't help myself.

This seemed to stop him for a moment, and I could see the edge of a bitter smile creeping across his lips. "Because I'll be dead."

Of all the things I thought he might have said, that wasn't one of them.

* * *

Bet she didn't see that one coming.

Nope.

Then again, neither did I, really.

Yes, that's right, I'll be dead. I am your enemy. I am a traitor, a fiend capable of issuing the razing of my own country and many more besides. I'm dangerous. You _should_ be afraid of me, maybe even happy about my imminent demise.

"Was there something else?" I wish she wouldn't look at me so. Turn away, away from this awkward pause.

"No." Her expression didn't agree with her reply, though. I tried to ignore her by studying the leaves in my hand, but then:

"Do you want me to tell the council _that_ as well?"

Ah, politician as always: you recover pretty quickly. I hate politicians myself… "No, actually."

"Very well. Good day, Master Strategos."

I hate being called that sometimes. That detestable title so suitable to everything that I once hated, that I still hate, I realize as I watch Eries's back as she starts walking away.

"You know my name, Princess."

* * *

I face him slowly, this feeling in my stomach is almost enough to make me sick. Why did I stop except that his tone of voice commanded it? Or was it the voice in my own head that commanded me to? With this tension in my limbs, and my stomach still roiling, this must be the sleeping anger that he deserves, yet my voice remained level.

"_Your_ name?? Who are you, Strategos, but the military hand of the Zaibach Empire? Do you think being a deserter has changed that fact, or the destruction caused in the name of some twisted widespread hegemony?"

I stopped then, only because his eyes had narrowed so much. But he wasn't looking at me, his eyes were downcast, which I found hard to believe. Is he play-acting?

I tried unclenching my fists, and continued, maybe to myself. "I knew the name of a young prince from a distant kingdom to whom I was betrothed at the age of 12. He was slain by a dragon while performing his country's rite for becoming king."

This is a fact I grew up with. I barely even remember that boy, just my reaction to his odd looks when I first met him… oh, and his wings. When I heard he had been killed I wasn't sad. I pitied the loss, but actually, I was happy for I wouldn't be married off so soon. Eventually it became a trivial issue, this failed marriage arrangement, and was forgotten by everyone except for my father and the regular members of the House of Lords.

I looked back up at him, but I couldn't tell what his expression meant. "His name was Folken Lacour deFanel. He has been dead for a long time."

He didn't reply at first, but nodded. "Just so. That's a pity." Then, rather unexpectedly, he bowed to me and said, "Forgive me for taking up your time, Princess. I thank you for it. I should be getting back to my research."

Without a second glance he headed off in the opposite direction from which I had come.

* * *

Author's Note: This is more of a drama and an exploration of the possible relationship (or lack thereof) between Eries and Folken than a romance. I ran off with a thread from an idea by Oboe-Wan (150021) after having grown impatient waiting for a decent Folken fic. This is definitely not my best work, what with all the poorly structured sentences, but I needed to experiment. 

Disclaimer: Escaflowne and all characters are not my creations. This piece of mind fart is for fan entertainment only. Ouch, I've been reading too much Orson Scott Card... =) 


	2. Deserving your attentions

**Failed Strand of Destiny** (Part 2 of 3)

by NickelS  
purple_shad@hotmail.com  
December 2002 

Author's Note: **This is the completed version of Part 2. **"New" material after Xmas begins about a third way down the page denoted by 2 horizontal rules.

Disclaimer: Escaflowne and all characters are not my creations. This piece of mind fart is for fan entertainment only. Episode references and timelines are about as muddled as my tapes as I've only seen the entire series once. 

* * *

_"If I don't trust you, how will you ever be able to trust me?"_

Hitomi's words kept tumbling around in Folken's head even after he had escorted her back to the palace wing where she was currently staying. She was an odd girl, or at least she appeared to be. Of course, being from the mystic moon, how could she not? Yet, Folken could not help but consider her words very wise, along with the way she handled herself given her present situation, a world away from her own. More amazingly still, she could enlighten Folken about his own behaviour.

_Why do I need others' trust?_

Then again, that wasn't really being truthful to himself. Sure, he could exude an air of command and superiority when he needed to. Why else would so many generals of Zaibach's forces snap off salutes to their Strategos without blinking? But trust? No. Zaibach's soldiers did not follow his orders because he was a beloved hero or because he was an icon for one to strive to become. They did not do it out of love or loyalty. It was because Dornkirk had put him there, a pawn, no matter how high in rank or intellectual ability, but a pawn nonetheless.

So what trust was there to earn and give now? Van was the immediate answer, until Folken realized that, after a few days ago, in Fanelia, there was nothing left to settle between Van and himself. The truth had been told, and although their relationship would never be as it was, at least Van was no longer ignorantly resentful. He had real reasons to hate his brother now, and there was nothing Folken could do to make up for that.

Folken turned into a doorway, noting the sudden change in volume of sound as he neared the palace's great dining hall. 

* * *

These Asturians sure like to make a lot of noise after their evening meals, I thought as I walked past one of the doors opening into the hall where the royal family, their extended family, noble delegates, ministers, guests and the rest of the palace regulars were watching the evening entertainment from their supper tables. I didn't think I'd fit in, nor did I really want to, so normally I would have food sent up to me, but I couldn't sit still tonight for some reason. Paperwork and calculations to refine were all that were waiting for me back in my room.

I continued down the outer corridor until I reached where the kitchens connected to the dining hall. I didn't have to wait long. A server came hurrying out the door and nearly ran me over with a tray of steamed fish.

"I beg your pardon, sir," the man apologized immediately. I think it took him a moment to recognize me, because after he said that, _then_ his eyes went wide. Precariously balancing the platter with one hand -which made me step back a little- he bowed. "Would you like me to show you to a seat at the high table, my good lord?"

Since when have I ever been a 'good lord?' "No thank you, but if you could get me a sampling of the chef's entrées sent to my room—"

"Of course! Just a moment, please." With that, he hurried into the hall to serve the fish.

My eyes swept over the gathering and what they were watching, which happened to be several brightly clad women in silky dresses dancing in unison, twirling coloured fans. My view was interrupted when the server came back, bowed and said he'd arrange for my meal right away, before he disappeared into the kitchen behind me.

When I turned back to the dance, I caught sight of her, and for the second time that day I found myself staring at Princess Eries.

The first time was at the general council meeting this morning. Maybe I hadn't gotten enough sleep yesterday night or something, but my concentration was wavering the entire time. Although, I don't know if she had noticed anything other than an ordinary scowl on my face when she had looked at me.

Damn.

I shook my head. What, was I being libidinous now?

Ha. That's amusing, I almost forgot I had a sense of humour. I won't deny that she is very beautiful though. That skinny kid in a dress that I remember has grown into a fine princess, or a fine queen even…

That's when it hit me.

_"If I don't trust you, how will you ever be able to trust me?"_

You're right, Hitomi. I do need trust, or at least whatever is as close as I can come to that. If I'm to die soon, I should at least make an attempt to… to what? Provide closure? Eries, besides Van, is the only other person from my past who was left hanging by a stray thread for ten years. Granted, we didn't know each other very well, but it has affected her life in a very real way, I think. I hear the matter of potential suitors for her isn't usually discussed but she hasn't accepted any either, obviously. Were I conceited I would take the blame, but there must be something else to it.

The more I looked at her, the more this feeling of …urgency increased. 

What is it about you Eries? What are you hiding?

The dancers moved into my line of sight and drifted gracefully across the room. When I could see Eries again, I noticed that she wasn't following the dancers at all. In fact, she looked like she was daydreaming. 

Either that, or she was staring. 

As it turned out, just as I was staring at her, she was busy gazing at someone else.

My eyes scanned across the room in the direction she was turned, but all I saw of interest was a couple of ladies flirting with a Caeli. I looked back at Eries, but she remained transfixed in that same direction. Unless… I looked back across the room, and it was Allen Schezar chatting idly with the two women that looked like they'd throw themselves onto him within the next blink of an eye. Could Eries really be taken in with this lady-killer cavalier? Even I have heard rumours of the infamous habits of this 'Heavenly Knight.'

Hmmph. Maybe Eries isn't quite as sensible as she seems. I've seen enough.

"Garçon," I acknowledged the server that had come up to wait upon me, "Is my order done?"

"Yes, my Lord. Your meal has been sent off already. Is there something else you require?"

"No. Thank you." I made my way back down the long hallway, at an unusually rapid walking pace. I'm pretty sure it's because this feeling in my stomach is hunger.

* * *

* * *

It was the next evening when I had left the Library for aimless wandering again, restless as ever, that I saw Eries walking along a lower corridor, unescorted. I cast furtively about to make sure she was indeed alone before I made my way quickly down the nearest flight of stairs, just managing to cross her path before she reached the bottom of the stairway. 

* * *

"Folken!?" Gods, what a scare! He just seemed to rise out of the shadows.

"I'm very sorry for startling you, Princess."

Indeed you should be.

"I couldn't help but notice that you have no escort this evening," he was saying.

So? Is it that bad, that I should be trailed by a guard everywhere I go? Maybe to protect me from Zaibach deserters popping out of dark corners, but surely…

"Allow me to accompany you," he bowed, "Please."

I stared critically down at the top of his lowered head. At my hesitation, he lifted his face enough for me to see his eyes, pleading? What? Damn Allen for leaving me earlier at the Hall when he said he'd escort me to the Library. Damn me for saying I'd be fine on my own when he had a legitimate reason to stay behind a while and speak with his captain. Now this disturbing enigma wants to walk with me.

I sighed, "All right."

We walked on for a while in silence, and I was careful to keep in step with him. He had a very long stride, but that wasn't very surprising, given his formidable height. Absently, I looked down at the hem of his odd pants. They were so baggy, it was like he was wearing a dress, and as we climbed a flight of stairs, I wouldn't have been surprised if he had tripped, but of course he didn't.

I decided to make some small conversation, and we talked about yesterday's council meeting, the weather, the food, and even the dances at yesterday's dinner, though I don't recall having seen him there. Though the conversation was not unpleasant, nevertheless, he seemed a little distracted. On the other hand, maybe it was me who was being detached. He wasn't exactly the most comfortable person to be around.

A sound and a movement from below caught my attention. It was Allen, crossing the courtyard below. Normally I would have called out to him, but I already had an escort.

Folken stopped. Apparently he had noticed Allen as well.

"I should be going," I began, "He might be looking for me."

The look on his face darkened briefly, or maybe that was a cloud passing under the moon. "Was that your original escort?"

"Why yes."

"Forgive me for suggesting, but wouldn't it be more advantageous for you if he sees me in your very highly esteemed company?"

It took a moment for his words and their implication to sink in, but he was very patient about it. In fact, I don't think he blinked at all. But nevermind that.

_What_ did you just say? How _dare_ you presume such!

… Is it that obvious?

As I just stared dumbly at him, teeth clenched in anger and embarrassment. The trace of a small smile appeared on his face, making him look rather boyish. Before I could snap at him, though, the smile had disappeared and he said, quite seriously:

"You are a marvelous actress, Eries. I'm sure we can confuse him just a little."

I continued to stare as he offered his –left- hand, still a little shocked. Once again, before I could deny anything and bid him good night, his voice, so quiet now, pierced my intentions. 

"Trust me. Please."

"I…" What were we talking about?

The sound of footsteps below and the glint of moonlight on gold snapped me back to attention. Allen's coming this way! Oh, I can't believe I'm going to do this. 

* * *

The accusing look on her face melted away into determination, and I don't think I've ever been as relieved as I am now that she has placed her white hand in mine. I'd barely closed my fingers over hers before she pulled me over to the side of the corridor.

"I think he saw me," she hissed.

"Good," I replied, and she looked like she still couldn't believe she was going along with me. Sure enough, the sound of Allen Schezar ascending the stairs on the opposite side of the courtyard could be heard. "Quickly now." I turned, leading her so that when the Caeli reached the top of the stairs, our backs would be facing him. "Let's talk about something witty. Have a little laugh."

"I have no idea," she shook her head with a slightly giddy smile, starting to walk ahead slowly, turning her head back a little to see if Schezar had reached the top of the steps yet. "Or maybe I do." Then she looked at me and quickly away, her smile inadvertently becoming a grin, "If you don't mind my saying, I think your choice of formal attire is rather amusing."

"Think so?" I was grinning now, also, unable to contain it. "I think I'd much rather be wearing this than be wearing what some of your Asturian noblemen wear." The statement had the desired affect of making her snigger at the idea, so I ventured to add, "What do you call it, a 'codpiece?'"

This freed her laughter and I joined in as well.

When we looked at each other, she started laughing all the harder, and I took the opportunity to check our position out of the corner of my eye. 

* * *

Allen had just rounded the corner from the stairwell, hoping to catch up with Princess Eries, when the sound of her laughter, pealing in the otherwise quiet of the night, stopped him in his tracks. It was such a rare, beautiful sound, but what really stunned him was who had managed to elicit it from her. The knight was vaguely aware that his mouth was agape, as he watched Eries gliding down the corridor and having a rather lively conversation, hand-in-hand no less, with Folken, of all people… And she was laughing… 

* * *

Fortunately for me, Schezar probably couldn't hear what we were saying. I gave Eries's hand a light squeeze and she tilted her head up, as I said in an undertone. "Don't turn your head to look, but I think he's watching us."

"Really?" Her excitement could hardly be hidden, and she blushed a comely shade of pink.

"Yes, I think he's quite amazed."

"I wish I could see his expression," she said, probably more to herself than to me. "This is so silly," she added. Nevertheless, her timing was impeccable when she laughed lightly again and leaned into me accordingly.

Instead of escorting Eries to the Library as she had originally intended, she asked that I take her back to the Royal Chambers. To make sure that Schezar could still follow us if he wanted to, we did not take too long to make known the direction in which we were heading.

When we reached the grand marble staircase leading up to the private rooms of the Royal Family members and the two guards that stood watch at the base of it, Eries led me out into another courtyard directly before it so that we could speak. Once through the glass doors and out of sight of the guards she dropped my hand and moved towards the centre of the small circular enclosure. Her hand drifted to the stone rim of one of the many fountains in the palace.

When she turned back to look at me, her expression returned to an impassive mask once more, the same one she wore during council.

How different you truly are from yourself, sometimes, Eries.

"Thank you," she said carefully. "I don't think I've laughed that hard in a while."

I bowed my head in acknowledgement, "You're welcome, but no thanks are ne-"

"No, I suppose not," she interrupted defiantly, "not until I know what your motives are. What were –are- you trying to prove? What …business is this of yours?" Though accusing, her voice remained level at all times. She really is amazing at this sort of thing.

I frowned. "Fair questions. I reserve no apologies, but you'll get truthful answers at least. You're right, it shouldn't be any of my business." I hesitated, and her eyebrows knit together thoughtfully. "But if our escapade tonight does not make Allen Schezar realize that you are not excluded from the realm of honest courtship, then he doesn't deserve your attentions." _He doesn't seem to deserve you at all._ I sighed, adding weakly, "I hope you can see that." I'm not really sure if she can or not.

She looked ready to retort something, maybe on _his_ behalf, but said somewhat indignantly instead, "I would ask that next time you feel the need to meddle in such… issues, you should keep to yourself. Playing the match-maker does not suit you."

"Of course not," I replied instantly, "It suits me as much as it suits you to pine needlessly."

She held her tongue this time, or –more likely- she didn't have anything to say to that, and there was an ill silence.

I shook my head and said, as sincerely as I could, "I _am_ sorry. Just, please, remember what I said." I bowed to her and turned to leave.

"Am I supposed to believe you're trying to _help_ me simply out of kindness?" The puzzlement was evident in her intonation.

A sidelong glance over my shoulder gave me the impression that she really did want to know. I turned halfway back. "In my experience, people generally believe what they want to believe despite otherwise." I couldn't help but smirk cynically. "But yeah, that is what I was trying to go for."

"Then," she began reluctantly, "if that is truly your intention, you have my appreciation."

That is more than I could have asked for, perhaps more than I deserve. Eries, you have made me one happy man… well, if not happy (for I doubt I could ever be truly happy again), then at least content. Impulsively, I dropped to my knees before her and pressed my knuckles against the floor, bending toward the flagstones in a bow, dredging up a mannerism that my father had drilled into me when I had been young.

"It has been my honor to serve you, Princess Eries. My sword follows your will."

That last sentence really hadn't been necessary. Actually, I surprised myself with my own behaviour, but Eries arched an eyebrow, realizing it was a declaration of formality once used in Fanelia. She nodded her head slightly, not appearing to mind my ridiculous lapse in action and words, things that recalled my great betrayal.

"If my memory doesn't fail me, the correct reply to that would be: 'My blessing is yours. Gods bestow grace and honor to you and your clan.'"

I stood and smiled sadly. I think I tried saying 'thank you,' but only managed to mouth it, just barely. Her eyes were an amazing colour in the dark.

"Perhaps," she locked eyes with me, "I was wrong about you… Folken."

No. My eyelids squeezed shut, but that was a futile reaction. I shook my head vehemently. "No." I wish, but I won't lie to you. I won't let us deceive ourselves, no matter how much I may have wanted you to trust me. 

"Pardon?" she asked, so quietly.

I opened my eyes. "You were absolutely right."

* * *

AN: Riiight. Well, so much for being only 2 parts. There is a bit more I had planned to go with this, but simply because I don't think I'll be able to get it written for a while, I didn't include it in this part. Blame it on the LotR Elves. Bowie keeps me sane, sort of.


	3. A better future

**Failed Strand of Destiny** (Part 3 of 3)

by NickelS  
purple_shad@hotmail.com  
February 2003 

Author's Note:** Please make sure you've read the  completed  version of Part 2 before continuing. **

Disclaimer: Escaflowne and all characters (save 'Elvedo') are not my creations, as they belong to Bandai, Sunrise, and all respective japanese animation contingencies. This piece of mind fart is for fan entertainment only. Episode references and timelines are about as muddled as my tapes as I've only seen the entire series once. 

* * *

"You had better not have any ulterior motives towards the Princess, Folken Strategos." Allen Schezar's eyes burned with a suppressed fury, though his expression remained in check. I had to suppress a laugh.

"What did you have in mind, Caeli?" I replied evenly.

He paused, a scowl passing across his face for an instant, before continuing carefully. "I don't appreciate your attitude towards Princess Eries. You have been warned."

My eyebrows creased together. "Then let me tell you that I do not appreciate being shadowed by a knight with a hand too ready to draw. One who mistakes a simple act of chivalry for an assumption based on his own prejudice."

His fingers opened, but his palm remained resting on the hilt. "I'll back off as soon as you remove your hand from the short sword behind your back."

Oh, so you noticed, did you? Perhaps you might have been a worthy sparring partner, were the circumstances better. Did you learn as well as I did from Vargas? Perhaps you may even be worthy of Eries's hand… My expression remained impassive as I lifted both of my hands, empty, away from my person to show him I had nothing to hide. Likewise, he stepped back and let go of his sword.

Why in the names of all the gods is it such a femininely rose colour? 

* * *

A night and a day later, Folken hunched over his workbench, scratching out formulas on the parchment paper with a primitive quill and inkbottle. Not for the first time did he continue writing even when all the ink had flowed out of the tip of his writing instrument, his mind already splitting the calculation, altering the variables, merging them back together, before he realized that he could no longer see half of what he was trying to record. So, in irritation, he dipped his quill and retraced some of the results that were already imprinted on the paper by the weight of his handwriting.

The torque causing the twist in the secondary axle must be increased, so the angle of the axle, without changing the distance along the shaft from the hinge to the weight, should be…

Should be…

_ In an idyllic world, Folken Lacour deFanel, King of Fanelia, sat upon his knees on the raised mat at the head of the long wooden room presiding over Fanelia's governing body. In two rows, sitting parallel and facing centre, their backs to the wall, were his advisors. His foremost advisor, seated at the front of the right column, was Van, looking much older and wiser than his sixteen years while wearing his formal robes. Van smiled up at his older brother, confident in both of their roles in the scheme of Fanelia's present and future._

_Immediately beside Folken, to his left, sat Fanelia's queen, kind and regal in her bearing, pale skin and hair contrasting with the deep purple of her dress robes: Eries Aria Aston. _

_At the end of the meeting, the advisors all turned their bodies facing front to their King and leaned forwards toward the floor, bowing. Then they shifted back to their original positions and bowed to each other. Standing, they filed out of the end of the hall, turning back once more at the doorway in a half-bow. _

_ When even Van was outside the room, Folken finally rose to his feet. When he had done so, Eries stood as well. He offered his hand to her, breaking custom as his father had done so often with his mother. Eries graciously accepted, but did not take her eyes off his, even as she beamed at him. Folken could feel his own mouth returning the smile before he led them both out of the hall._

Folken resumed breathing. In his entire life, the total number of visions that he had experienced could be counted on one hand. That number, increased now by just one, still fit. He blinked a few times and took a few deep breaths to reorient himself. When he looked down, he almost grimaced as the blank space below his quill tip regained his attention.

She's probably one of the few women who'd be the perfect height for me, too.

How fine a pair we would have made.

Certainly she would know how to run a country and deal with domestic issues as well as I. Her tenacity and opinions I could admire and value above that of any advisor…

But would she have liked Fanelia?

I don't think so.

No, that's not true.

Liked it, she would have. Been content within it, I'm not so sure. Devoid of Asturian social niceties, it would seem a far cry from this palace and its seashore metropolis. No court ballroom parties, no greedy merchants to debate with everyday, no annoying little sister to look after. Gods, she might have been bored out of her brilliant mind.

This angle should be increased and the tension on the support cable will therefore be reduced by a factor of point oh… six.

With that, Folken continued refining his blue prints for a miniature fortune machine for the next hour. He spent the following four hours adjusting his equipment to match his theoretical changes. At length, he stood with his hand resting on the humming engine, his gaze lost in the intricacies of the revolving components at the centre of his machine.

The end is so close to me, now. I can feel it in my wings, though I haven't called them to form yet.

When the time comes, I will make it up to you, Van. No more tears.

I promise.

And Eries… when I lie dying, bleeding or burning –or however it's going to be- to death within the zone of absolute fortune, I will ask for a better future than what you have been living up until now. I hope that you'll be happy, living your life, unencumbered by such things as traditional as betrothals among royalty. Yes, maybe even with your Heavenly Knight. Perhaps with him, you might have something better than this… our failed strand of destiny.

* * *

"Princess!" 

I looked up from my desk at the sudden interruption by one of my personal guards. I recognized Elvedo, one of the newest members of my entourage. That would explain the suddenness that most would have found quite rude.

At the tilt of my head, Elvedo immediately bowed low and straightened with a somewhat embarrassed expression. "Forgive me, Highness, but there's some strange phenomenon taking place in the East wing that I think you should see. Please, come quickly."

I frowned, not at my guard though he shifted a little uncomfortably, but wondering what it could be that was so urgent. Quickly, I picked up my skirts, swept out of my rooms and led the way down the corridor. When I passed a window facing east, I stopped dead on my feet, suppressing a gasp.

"That's it, right there, Highness!" I heard Elvedo exclaim excitedly from somewhere behind me.

There was a narrow beam of light, brilliant like the sun, shooting into the dark heavens. It seemed to stretch upwards forever, but the lower end was embedded in the far side of the East wing. "What… what _is_ that?" Almost before I had finished those words, the light vanished and everything was dark again as it should have been. I blinked several times, but the negative burned into my retinas proved that I had not simply imagined it.

When I reached the East Wing, I began to have an uneasy feeling in my stomach. This feeling increased when I noticed the throng of guards investigating one of the rooms.

Don't tell me.

"Highness," acknowledged the captain of the guard when I walked up to him. He had a very serious, puzzled expression. "It appears there was a big flash of light that people all over the palace saw, lighting up the whole sky."

I nodded that I had also seen it.

"We believe it originated from this room, but by the time my men arrived here, it was already fading. There's no sign of what caused it, unless it was that strange whirling machine in there…"

Let me guess.

"This is the Lord Strategos's room, Highness," the Captain finished.

"Folken," I absently corrected him. Hearing the truth I already suspected didn't make me feel any better at all. "Well, where is he? You don't mean to tell me he was in the room when it happened?"

"There is no sign of either him, or the girl Hitomi, who was last seen in his presence." The captain shook his head. "Two men saw them head in the direction of this room some minutes before they saw the light. I'm afraid we don't know much more than that, Highness."

I swallowed. Hitomi, too? I hope she's all right.

What could have happened to them?

Folken…

"May I go inside?"

"I suppose so." The captain flicked a glance over his shoulder into the room, and then at Elvedo over my shoulder, who followed me closely through the doorway.

There was nothing particularly out of the ordinary, though most of the guards inside the room were thoroughly searching every corner of the room without disturbing anything. The only place they left completely untouched was the workbench in the centre of the room with the large humming, globular contraption, its workings still spinning slowly. As I moved closer, I realized what the black streaks on the floor were. Elvedo hurried up behind me when I knelt down to pick up a great black feather.

"Princess?"

I held up the feather next to my arm. It was longer than the length from my elbow to the tips of my fingers, and this could not have been the largest one.

"No bird has feathers that big," my guard observed, in awe, totally perplexed. "Or if there was, not around this area, at least."

"I know." I ran my fingers along its silken edge. So black.

"So how did they get here?" Elvedo mused, bending to pick another feather up from the floor. There must have been at least a dozen.

Just then, I looked up and heard the spinning machine groan. It was slowing down. No, it was stopping, so gradually. And when it finally ceased to function, and everyone paused to stare at the now silent thing, I don't know how, but I knew what it meant. I knew what the black feather in my hand meant. I felt… nostalgically sad, as if it was only a faint echo of something else, something that once existed in full force for someone else.

Why didn't the feathers just disappear like I had once seen them do, when they had been white?

"I will take them," I said softly. Then slightly louder, to my young guard, "I would appreciate if you would not speak of them unless you had reason to, Elvedo."

He drew to attention and gave a curt bow. "Of course, Highness."

I took the feather he was holding and collected the others before retiring to my room. I looked under my desk and drew out a long flute case, removed the flute and placed all but one of the feathers inside. I'll get another case for the flute later.

When the war is over, and I hope it's over soon, I will give these feathers to Van. He at least should have them.

Then with the remaining feather waiting on my desk, I rummaged among the boxes in the corner of my wardrobe for a bit before procuring a similar case, this one more suited to its purpose. I stared a while at the ornate wooden cover, the enamel hardly showing its age of ten years. I wondered at what I would find when I opened it. The latch opened easily enough and the hinges made no sound when I flipped the lid over. I carefully placed the ebon feather inside next to its ivory predecessor.

How beautiful they both were.

[fin]

* * *

Post Production Notes: 

- Booyah! It's finished (sorry for the wait). The ending wrote pretty much the way I originally envisioned it. Like I said at the start, this was not supposed to be a romance. I'm a purest, so I try _not_ to deviate from canon as much as possible. No complaints, I prefer constructive criticism. 

- Thanks to ** all** readers and reviewers. This is the first of my fics that has passed the 20-review mark! Thankyouthankyou. Now I can't possibly delete this fic... -_-; 

- I'm so ashamed, I've forgotten all of my elementary physics =( as referenced by the blotchy torque calculations =P

- Now I can move onto a Folken/Sora fic! ^__^ and oh boy have they been bugging me lately.


End file.
